As in previous years, in 2023, five works were again honored within the framework of the VH AWARD. Initiated by the Hyundai Motor Group in 2016, this is Asia’s leading award platform that aims to promote emerging media artists from Asia who contextually engage with Asia and its future. On the one hand, talented artists get the opportunity to develop their artistic ideas and experiments during the Eyebeam Online residency. Apart from that, the award is a door opener to access various global art platforms where the artists can exhibit their work. As such, the works of the finalists of the 5th VH AWARD will also be part of the Ars Electronica Festival 2023: Subash Thebe Limbu, Riar Rizaldi, zzyw, Su Hui-Yu and Zike He will present their films in Deep Space 8K.
“The emerging media artists who engage with the context of Asia will enable us to blur any boundaries through their distinctive cross-cultural practices and broaden our perspectives on the future of humanity.”
DooEun Choi
East Nepali Yakthung (Limbu) artist and Grand Prix recipient Subash Thebe Limbu has won the award with his work Ladhamba Tyem; Future Continuous. This is a film that explores the existence of indigenous peoples in the space-time continuum through conversations between a 18th century Yakthung fighter and an indigenous astronaut or time traveler from the future. In this way, awareness is raised about the ongoing struggle against colonialism, while each visitor is also invited to question their own role in actively shaping the future.
Also on display will be Fossilis by artist and filmmaker Riar Rizaldi, whose works explore the interplay of capital, technology, worldview and theoretical fiction, and thus deal with omnipresent contemporary issues that are likewise always core issues at the Ars Electronica Festival. With Fossilis in particular, Rizaldi addresses the complexities of electronic waste in 21st century Asia. Using live-action sets made of waste materials, flea market scenes, 3D assets and AI-generated imagery, the artist incorporates digital and physical waste objects into his artistic practice in this film production.
zzyw’s project Other Spring explores the social impact of computer mediation, automation and artificial intelligence. With Other Spring, the art and research collective, led by Yang Wang and Zhenzhen Qi, pleads for a humane approach to technology and reflects on privacy, agency, and individuality in a speculative future controlled by the algorithmic network UNO.
Space Warriors and The Digigrave re-examines the Taiwanese Space Warriors and explores the collective memory and values of Nationalism, Confucianism, and Chauvinism. Based on Queer Time, its creator Su Hui-Yu challenges male-dominated history and integrates AI tools and film techniques to offer innovative solutions for dealing with the complexities of nationality, identity, gender, morality, and ideologies.
Finally, the work Random Access by media artist Zike He will also be presented during the Ars Electronica Festival. Set in Guiyang, a city hosting major data infrastructures, the film speculates on the Cloud world experience. The fictional narrative reports on the aftermath of the crash and reboot of a central data center, thereby reflecting on digital computing.
The projects presented can be viewed during the Ars Electronica Festival 2023. Details are continuously published online.